A strict new system to crack down on bogus colleges and fraudulent applications from foreign students has so far screened out almost a quarter of applications from independent schools, colleges and universities, the Government revealed today.

Institutions have to register with the UK Border Agency before they are allowed to sponsor international students to come here under the student tier of Britain's tough new points system.

More than 2,100 universities, independent schools and colleges have applied to accept international students. Each institution has been assessed or visited by UK Border Agency officers as part of the vetting process. Already around 460 institutions that don't make the grade have been rejected.

Foreign students play a huge part in the UK's cultural and economic wealth and they help make the UK's education sector one of the finest in the world. Last year tuition fees from international students totalled ?2.5 billion - the Tier 4 rules ensure that institutions who benefit from having international students on their books take responsibility for ensuring students arriving from outside Europe comply with the conditions of their leave to be in the UK.

Before reaching the UK, students need to prove they have a place at a licensed institution, that they can financially support themselves, and must provide their fingerprints to the UK Border Agency.

The Government is determined that the new route benefits talented, legitimate students making the most of Britain's world-leading educational institutions.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:

"These new measures make sure people who come here to study - and the people who teach them - play by the rules.

"This new tier of the points based system allows us to know exactly who is coming to the UK to study and crack down on bogus colleges.

"I have made it clear that I will not tolerate either the fraudulent applicants trying to abuse Britain's immigration rules, or the dodgy colleges that facilitate them. However Britain will always welcome legitimate students who are coming here to receive a first-rate education."

Professor Mary Ritter, Pro Rector, International Affairs, at Imperial College London said:

"International students play a big part in making Imperial the dynamic and exciting place it is, and we feel very fortunate that so many motivated, highly talented people from around the world want to pursue their studies here.

"It's vital that, while taking appropriate border control measures, we don't make it difficult for these students to come to the UK. For that reason we are very pleased that the Government has decided to extend the maximum length of the Tier 4 visa from the planned four years to cover the complete duration of a student's course. This will be particularly helpful for medical students.

"We also welcome moves to make the system simpler for institutions and students."

The UK Border Agency has been working closely with the education sector to ensure the system works for both institutions and students alike. Following consultation, students must show they have the money to support themselves for nine months - this is lower than the 12 months originally proposed for this tier.

The UK Border Agency website contains advice for educational institutions and advice for students who want to study in the UK under Tier 4.

Today also sees a raft of other immigration controls come into force to ensure immigration is managed for the benefit of Britain. Today the UK Border Agency will:

• introduce wider new categories of foreign nationals required to apply for an ID card containing their facial image and fingerprints. ID cards will securely lock foreign nationals into one identity and help businesses crack down on illegal working;
• be even more selective through the points based system for foreign workers by ensuring that employers must have advertised skilled jobs for two weeks in a Jobcentre Plus before they can offer it to a foreign worker and raising the bar for highly skilled migrants through Tier 1. This shows that in these difficult times the bar has been raised for highly skilled migrants; and
• start increasing visa fees to provide a pot of cash which will go towards the Migration Impact Fund. The government confirmed earlier this month that this fund, worth ?70 million over two years, would be implemented to help deal with the impacts of migration on a local level. This money will be made available to local service providers across the country, including police, schools and hospitals.